Raymond, the husband of our sister from Scotland, Anhelyna, who posts here as the slave, has been diagnosed with leukemia. He is now undergoing further testing to determine its specific nature and plan treatment according to what she has posted at ByzCath. Please keep both Raymond and her in your prayers.

Saints Cosmas and Damien, Unmercenary Physicians, guide Raymond's doctors in diagnosing and treating him, that he may be restored to health. Holy Theotokos, intercede before the Holy Throne that Anhelyna be given strength to cope with this crisis and that God grant both of them many years.

Neil

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"Not only is it unnecessary to adopt the customs of the Latin Rite to manifest one's Catholicism, it is an offense against the unity of the Church."

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Anhelyna has posted an update at Byzcath. Her husband's diagnosis is acute myeloid leukemia and the prognosis for survival could be as short as 4 to 6 weeks. He is not a suitable candidate for a bone marrow transplant, but will begin undergoing aggressive treatment within a few days. Please keep Raymond and our sister in your prayers.

Neil

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"Not only is it unnecessary to adopt the customs of the Latin Rite to manifest one's Catholicism, it is an offense against the unity of the Church."

I have Raymond at home today after he had an echo cardiograph this morning.

The last 2 weeks have been very stressful as you can well imagine. He is now in the specialised Haemato Oncology Unit and between tests has been allowed home as long as he has not been mixing with other people. So far the only treatment , other than the investigations,has been 3 units of blood 2 days after he was admitted to Hospital and before his transfer to the Unit.

He goes in again tomorrow to have the HIckman Line inserted and should be home for the weekend on Friday and then Chemotherapy starts on Monday - and this will last for about 8 - 10 weeks or longer depending on his response.

For someone who has never been ill ,other than a dose of shingles about 35 years ago , this has been a very nasty shock .

I have not been able to get to DL for the last 2 weeks as this involves me in a 6 hour day away from home , and this I could not do. Raymond is keen for me to go this week as it will be my last chance for some weeks now - I have to be near the hospital. Whether or not I will manage on Sunday I really don't know - but I hope so.

Once more - thank you all so much for your prayers

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

Raymond went back into hospital as planned today [ it was a nice quiet weekend at home eating his favourite foods etc \ ]

Blood was taken as soon as we arrived [ nice and easy now thanks to the Hickman line ) ] and I waited with him till the Consultant saw him.

Chemo will start this afternoon .

I have just had an SMS from him [ I said I would leave now so they could set up the Chemo and would phone tomorrow to see how he was in the morning and go in in the afternoon ] which says that his bloods are very low and he has been moved to a single room for his protection. This move to isolation is much earlier than we had anticipated

Chemo is due to last for 10 days - running 24 hours a day and then he will have a period of recovery still in hospital and then further Chemo.

Please keep those prayers going for him

I can't keep an Icon with him much as I would like to - nor can he be annointed - he proclaims himself to be atheist /agnostic.

Should he express any wish for this I do know a Ruthenian Priest [ in England ] who has said he will come up if Raymond asks.

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

God who answers every prayer please look over me thy sinful and unrighteous servant that I ask in prayer that you remember us your children who are in need. Please keep the strength of our dear beloved Raymond. Show him your truth, give him faith and forgive him his sins so that he may endure the days and weeks ahead cheerfully and without fear, hoping on your will in everything. Show him sunshine and bright days and remembrance of all your blessings that has kept him till this day so that he will know by these things that you have and are always present with him even at this hour and all time. We pray for him so he will find blessing and healing of mind, body and most importantly spirit that your Holy will may be done in the name of Christ our redeemer Amen and Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven......

O Holy Virgin Mary mother of Christ our God, elect among the elect in the peace of the Holy Archangel Gabriel peace be unto the...."Thou art a virgin in spirit as well as in body". Keep us in your prayers at this hour and all hours that our prayers will not be hindered because of our error and slackness. Keep this small prayer for us for the sake of many who are in need and also for Raymond and his family. In the name of Christ our Lord Amen.

Glory be to Father the Son and the Holy Spirit...hallelujah Amen.

Thank you for allowing me to share with you my prayer for beloved husband.

I will continue to pray for you and Raymond even more now.

I truly hope that you are doing well with things. You seem to have good strength.

Never loose hope ...OK!

May God in the name of His Son Christ our Savior continue to bless you, keep you and strengthen you+++ Amen.

The end of phase 1 of Raymond's treatment is today - the first round of Chemo is over [ well later this evening ]

He now , as he told me , has no immune system - his resistance to infection is zero.

At this stage it's even more important than ever that he is in that isolation room.

From tomorrow he enters a recuperation phase during which time he will continue to be on antibiotics being given by his Hickman line and will also be getting anti fungal treatment as well. During this recuperation period his blood will be monitored very very closely to see if he goes into remission - even if he does - a second round of Chemo will follow and another recuperation period too.

Since his treatment started just over a week ago he has not slept for more than 2 hours at a time - either day or night since his IV Pumps 'sing' as the bag nears empty - and when he has 2 going at once they rarely finish at the same time We are both hoping that he may get a reasonable sleep soon - he's understandably very very tired.

We thank you all for your prayers

Once more , we watch and wait, and I pray.

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

The end of phase 1 of Raymond's treatment is today - the first round of Chemo is over [ well later this evening ]

He now , as he told me , has no immune system - his resistance to infection is zero.

At this stage it's even more important than ever that he is in that isolation room.

From tomorrow he enters a recuperation phase during which time he will continue to be on antibiotics being given by his Hickman line and will also be getting anti fungal treatment as well. During this recuperation period his blood will be monitored very very closely to see if he goes into remission - even if he does - a second round of Chemo will follow and another recuperation period too.

Since his treatment started just over a week ago he has not slept for more than 2 hours at a time - either day or night since his IV Pumps 'sing' as the bag nears empty - and when he has 2 going at once they rarely finish at the same time We are both hoping that he may get a reasonable sleep soon - he's understandably very very tired.

I have just collected him from Hospital for a a few days at home before Round 2 of Chemo.

Sadly he is not in remission

Apparently his form of AML is very difficult to treat

He will go back in on Monday and Chemo will start on Tuesday.

Your prayers are appreciated

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

Excellence of character, then, is a state concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us, this being determined by reason and in the way in which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. Now it is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect.

I took him back to hospital this morning and the new round of chemotherapy starts tomorrow.

He has lost so much weight - I really can't believe it .

He is now frankly terrified - and so am I.

Everyone keeps emphasising that his particular form of AML is very difficult to treat .

Lord have mercy

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

His white count has dropped to a level at which he is now unable to fight infections.

This round of Chemotherapy will finish on Wednesday evening and then we wait during the 'recovery' phase to see if he goes into remission.

Lord have mercy

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

O Christ, Who alone art our Defender: Visit and heal Thy suffering servant Raymond, delivering him from sickness and grievous pains. Raise him up that he may sing to Thee and praise Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.

On Holy Saturday I got a request to go and collect Raymond to allow him to have a few days at home.

His white count had now risen enough to permit him to be out of his Isolation Room and they thought he would like to be at home.

He goes into the Day Unit om Tuesday for blood tests , his Hickman line to be flushed and possibly a Bone Marrow biopsy done.

He is expected to be readmitted on Monday 5th May. [ Presumably this is for Round 3 of Chemo ]

So far we do not know if he is yet in Remission .

Thank you all for your prayers

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

The Consultant is very pleased with the way things are going - he will remain at home until his Bone Marrow biopsy is done on 8th May and we will wait then for news .

Thank you all so much for your prayers - I am convinced that they have helped.

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"Never let anyone try to tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years; and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies."- St. John Maximovitch

My brother went through several months of chemo a couple of years ago and it was indeed a terrifying thing to see a man over six feet tall lose 75 pounds after chemo. May God heal your husband and comfort you both.

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